The Yankees legend tells Latino Sports that Mo’s Heat carries the same passion, pride and determination that defined his historic baseball career.
By Anna Samanamu | Latino Sports
ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP, NJ — Mariano Rivera spent nearly two decades representing Panama and the Latino community from the mound at Yankee Stadium. Now, the Baseball Hall of Famer is sharing that pride in an entirely different way—one bottle at a time.
Rivera appeared at the ShopRite of Rockaway this past Wednesday, to introduce fans to Mo’s Heat, his officially licensed Major League Baseball line of Panamanian hot sauces. During the event, held at the supermarket on Route 46 in Dover, New Jersey, Rivera met with fans and promoted three habanero-based varieties: The Cutter, The Curve and The Sinker.
Mo’s Heat made its official debut on May 15 at the MLB Flagship Store in partnership with Major League Baseball before the start of Rivalry Weekend’s Subway Series, bringing fans, food lovers, and baseball enthusiasts together for a public tasting experience and meet-and-greet with Mariano Rivera – Image Credit: Mo’s Heat/@moheatsauces on Instagram
For Rivera, however, Mo’s Heat represents far more than a business venture. Inspired by a 122-year-old family recipe brought from the Caribbean to Panama in 1904, the brand gives him another opportunity to honor his upbringing in Puerto Caimito and share the culture of his homeland.
“This means the world to me,” Rivera told Latino Sports. “When I came here, I put everything within my power to do my job well and represent not only Panama, but Latinos. I’m doing this with the same passion that I had when I played baseball for the New York Yankees.”
Throughout his legendary career, Rivera carried Panama with him every time he took the mound. With Mo’s Heat, he hopes people can now experience the country through its flavors.
“My goal is to bring Panama in a different way, so you can taste the Panamanian flavor and the Caribbean,” he said. “The same way that we Latinos play the game we love with passion, this sauce was created to show our country and our roots.”
As one of the best pitchers in MLB history to ever step on a mound, Mariano Rivera, playing every game for his home country, Panama, is now carrying that same mindset into his new venture with Mo’s Heat by celebrating his homeland’s flavor, character, and fire – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Mo’s Heat was developed in partnership with D’Elidas, a longtime Panamanian hot sauce producer. Rivera explained that his partner first introduced him to the sauce and that he had enjoyed it for approximately 25 years before becoming involved with the brand.
“I cannot take credit for that. I’m a real fan of this sauce,” Rivera said. “I believe in it. I don’t think—I know—that we have to bring this sauce to the world.”
The collection connects Rivera’s new endeavor directly to the pitching legacy that made him Major League Baseball’s all-time saves leader. The Cutter is named for the virtually unhittable pitch that became his signature, while The Curve and The Sinker complete the baseball-themed lineup.
Each sauce offers a distinct take on habanero flavor, ranging from the bright, herbaceous heat of The Curve to the gradual heat and subtle sweetness of The Sinker.
This Saturday, August 29th, fans can get a taste of Mo’s Heat and meet Mariano Rivera during the grand opening of Redefine Meals in Selden, New Jersey, a Mo’s Heat experience with tastings, a meet and greet, and special surprises – Image Credit: Mo’s Heat/@moheatsauces on Instagram
Rivera said it was important to begin the brand’s growth in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut—the region he still considers home after spending his entire 19-year Major League career with the Yankees.
“I wanted to start in the Tri-State Area because that’s our home base—New York Yankees fans,” he said. “Bringing it to the Tri-state area and then bringing it to the world is something that is near to my heart.”
The values behind the product also mirror the qualities that guided Rivera throughout a career that included five World Series championships, 13 All-Star selections and his historic unanimous election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.
“I use the same principles in entrepreneurship—values, respect and being proud,” Rivera said. “I was proud, and I am proud, to be a Yankee. I will be a Yankee forever. That’s the same concept that I’m using with this sauce.”
Panama pitching icon and New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera finished his MLB career as the sport’s all-time saves leader with 652 regular-season saves and had stellar postseason numbers that included 42 saves with a 0.70 ERA (11 saves in the World Series) – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
At the same time, Rivera wants Mo’s Heat to earn recognition for its quality rather than relying solely on the name attached to the bottle.
“If you take the Mo name out of there, you’ll still recognize the sauce by the flavor, the passion and the love that has been put into it,” he said.
That goal reflects the same standard Rivera set for himself as a player: allowing preparation, consistency and performance to speak louder than a celebrity. His name may draw people toward Mo’s Heat, but he wants the flavor—and the story behind it—to give the brand its staying power.
With plans to expand into additional retail locations across the tri-state area in the coming months such as this week with new stores across New Jersey, individual and three-pack Mo’s Heat sauces are available for purchase at mosheatsauces.com, as well as at the MLB Flagship Store in New York – Image Credit: @moheatsauces on Instagram
As one of the most celebrated Latino players in baseball history, Rivera also sees the company as a platform to increase recognition of Panama, a nation he describes as small in size but rich in passion, love and energy.
“That’s our goal—to bring recognition to our people and our country,” he said. “Panama is a small country, but it is passionate. It is love. The people have a lot of energy to work, and they welcome everybody.”
In 96 postseason appearances, all in pinstripes, Mariano Rivera was 8-1, winning World Series MVP honors in 1999 and ALCS MVP honors in 2003 – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Rivera takes particular pride in the fact that Mo’s Heat is made entirely in Panama and distributed in the United States, with ambitions to eventually reach consumers around the world.
“It’s a privilege to be able to make something like this that I know is good and has the potential to be all over the world,” he said.
“I’m proud that this is 100 percent made in Panama. We have a national product from Panama being distributed here in the United States and, hopefully, throughout the rest of the world.”
Made with highly selected habanero peppers and spices using a 122-year-old recipe, Mo’s Heat hot sauces offer a unique flavor and aroma to enhance any meal – Image Credit: Latino Sports
When fans bring home a bottle, Rivera hopes they discover something about him that extends beyond the cutter, the championships and the final outs he recorded in pinstripes.
“I hope they taste the passion, the love and the determination that have been put into this sauce—the same ingredients that I put into baseball,” Rivera said. “You have to have passion, you have to have love and you have to have determination to represent our people, our country and Latinos.”
For Rivera, Mo’s Heat is another expression of the legacy he has built throughout his life: working hard, giving his all and representing his community with pride.
The setting has changed from the pitcher’s mound to the kitchen table, but the ingredients remain the same.
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